Dear Kevin, the only trait you mentioned, with which I agree, is having
good communication skills (though not in the way you describe them, i.e.,
brag, bribing).
If you look at the research by Morgan Mc
Call, at the Center for Leadership, on why fast track managers derail, I
think that many of the traits that you equate with success are associated
with ultimate failure. It is not lack of effort, ability, accomplishment
that ultimately kills a career, it is the inability to work effectively
with others, and traits like cruel and thick face, that will ultimately be
your undoing.
In a just world, cruel individuals would not rise to positions of power.
Unfortunately, Boal's 3rd Law often applies
You can fool some of the people all of the time, and
you can fool all of the people some of the time, and
that is generally sufficient.
Not only do I think your traits for success are ultimately self defeating,
I think your notion of what it means to be a successful human being
(money/wealth) is one you will also find limiting and unsatisfactory.
While the cynic might remark, "people who say money can not buy happiness,
don't know where to shop," I know people who also say, "I'm in the wrong
job, with the wrong company, but I got seniority." Personally, I think
when we reflect on those who lead lives of quite desperation, it is not for
lack of money. While the Greeks agreed with you that wealth, (along with
health and wisdom) was necessary for the good life, note that it was not
sufficient. People, I know, who I think live the good life, have good
jobs, good friends/family, good pay, good times, and, possibly most
important, purpose. Furthermore, that purpose is not self serving.
Intestingly, I think if you talked to entreprenuers in Silicon Valley, who
have become wealthy (certainly beyond anything I am likely to achieve in my
lifetime), they will tell you that money was never a motivating force in
their success.
Finally, while some people tend to equate money with morality (you hear
them say things like, "if only people would believe this or do that, they
would be more successful" (materially)), I think to equate the moral life
(a life well lived) with material success is pernicious philosophically.
I trust that as you gain age (and wisdom), you will reassess your goals and
what it takes to achieve them.
Best, Kim Boal
t you mentioned that I can endorseAt 04:48 AM 3/31/99 -0700, you wrote:
>Kim,
>
>What I was told by many businesspersons, to be successful in real world you
>ought to:
>* Have a good communication skill (good at convincing people, sometimes do
>brag; good at lobbying & bribing).
>* Be Iron Heart (as what Margaret Thatcher was known???)
>* Be Thick Face (shameless)
>* Be Cruel (it's more or less as if you are in the battlefield, either you
>kill me or I kill you)
>Please be noted that in this case: "successful" = being wealthy, rich.
>
>What are your comments on those traits? For sure, I wanna be rich.. but I
>don't have such traits. How is the likely I will be successful?
>
>Kevin
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Kim Boal <
odkbb@TTACS.TTU.EDU>
>To: <
MG-ED-DV@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU>
>Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 1999 9:25 PM
>Subject: Re: Getting the 1st Job
>
>
>> Kevin Easton asks an interesting question, ie., what does it take to be
>> successful. I am sure everyone on the net has their own receipe. For me,
>> the keys to being successful lie in figuring out how I can contribute to
>> helping my organization and the people around me be successful. I think
>> this requires first, knowing thyself (as the Oracle at Delphi would
>> suggest). Then learning everything about your job, your organization, and
>> your industry and connecting the dots. Two caveats: think future tense,
>> not past; and recognize that hubris will be your greatest enemy the more
>> successful you become.
>>
>> Let's hear those receipes.
>>
>> Kim
>
>
>
>____________________________________________________________________
>Get free e-mail and a permanent address at
http://www.netaddress.com/?N=1
>
--------------------------------
Kim Boal
College of Business Administration
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, TX 79409
(806) 742-2150
KimBoal@ttu.edu